This invention relates to apparatus for removing trees and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, relates to apparatus for severing trees, brush, and other forestry at or below ground level.
Apparatus for cutting trees and clearing land of trees and brush are known. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,462,314; 2,619,129; 2,713,363; 2,787,298; and 4,090,540 disclose various types of circular saws which may be connected to tractors or the like for cutting trees. U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,540 discloses such a circular saw and asserts that the circular saw may be used to sever a tree along a slanting plane below ground level.
There are numerous problems with the use of circular saws in clearing trees, brush, and other forestry from land. Circular saws operate at high speeds and are dangerous in that it is virtually impossible to surround them with an effective guard. Circular saws wear quickly and the cutting teeth are easily broken, particularly if the blade encounters the rocks and other hard minerals to be expected at or below ground level. Circular saws also get very hot when in use and warp easily if they are placed in a bind by the tree being cut, as commonly occurs. When a circular blade is damaged, the entire blade must normally be replaced, which is extremely difficult, if not impossible to do in the field. Therefore, the use of circular saws requires costly down time to return to the shop for the circular saw blade. These problems are greatly exacerbated by the dirt, rock, minerals, roots, etc. encountered when attempting to cut forestry below ground level.
U.S. Pat. No. 90,834 (Fory) discloses an apparatus for felling trees having a series of augers which revolve on a carriage. Fory will not fell a tree in one passage through the tree, but, to the contrary, discloses making multiple passes through the tree and then using an axe to cause the tree to fall. Further, Fory does not disclose cutting a tree at or below ground level. In fact, the frame A and arms B which are used to hold the augers against the tree for drilling, grip the tree below the augers and prevent the apparatus from being lowered sufficiently to cut the tree near ground level.
Because of the problems of the prior tree cutting devices, such as those discussed above, the most common method currently used in clearing land of trees and forestry is the use of bulldozers. The use of bulldozers themselves is extremely expensive, and creates even more expense, in that the bulldozer pushes a tree and its roots over which often brings tons of rock to the surface. This rock has to be cleared from the land and often must be relocated, which is a time consuming, expensive procedure.
Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus which may be used to sever trees, brush, and related forestry at or below ground level without using circular saw blades, in one passage of the apparatus through the forestry, and without disturbing the subterranean earth around the forestry.